Tag: Marshall

Sept. 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Marshall Thundering Herd running back A.J. Turner (5) is pursued by Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Hero Kanu (93) during the first half of an NCAA Division I football game at Ohio Stadium on Saturday.

Marshall fined $100K by Sun Belt for pulling out of bowl game

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Marshall’s decision to opt out of December’s Independence Bowl against Army is turning out to be a costly one.

The Sun Belt Conference issued the school a $100,000 fine for not participating in the Dec. 28 contest, which Marshall said was due to a loss of more than 25 players to the transfer portal.

The exodus was in part due to the departure of head coach Charles Huff, who took the head coaching job at Southern Miss after the Thundering Herd won the Sun Belt title with a 31-3 win over Louisiana.

In a statement released Friday, the conference expressed some understanding of Marshall’s decision but ultimately called the move “detrimental” to the Sun Belt and others affected by the decision.

“While the conference acknowledges the medical model and best practice guidance adhered to by Marshall, as well as their fundamental concern for the health and safety of the remaining eligible student-athletes to compete in a safe and viable manner,” the statement said, “the nature and timing of this decision was detrimental to the Sun Belt Conference and its membership, to Army, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, the American Athletic Conference and ESPN.”

The Independence Bowl went on with Louisiana Tech replacing Marshall based on the NCAA’s APR score. Army knocked off the Bulldogs 27-6 to complete a 12-2 season.

Marshall ended its season with a 10-3 record.

–Field Level Media

Sept. 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Marshall Thundering Herd running back Ethan Payne (28) scores a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA Division I football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on Saturday.

Reports: Marshall pulls out of Independence Bowl game vs. Army

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Marshall football team opted out of the playing Army in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 28 because of losing players in the transfer portal, according to multiple media reports on Saturday.

The Thundering Herd went 10-3 and defeated Louisiana 31-3 in the Sun Belt Conference championship game on Dec. 7. Head coach Charles Huff left the program one day later to accept the same position at Southern Miss, a fellow league member.

At least 29 Marshall players have entered the transfer portal since Dec. 8, according to 247Sports.

No. 19 Army, the American Athletic Conference champion, was 11-1 going into Saturday’s annual rivalry game against Navy, followed by the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La.

As no other six-win teams are available to replace Marshall, teams with five wins are eligible based on their Academic Progress Rate.

Thundering Herd associate head coach Telly Lockette was designated to lead the team in the bowl game, with the university hiring North Carolina State defensive coordinator Tony Gibson as the new head coach.

–Field Level Media

Sep 29, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (12) warms up before a game against the Cleveland Browns at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Raiders activate Aidan O’Connell, place Gardner Minshew on IR

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Las Vegas Raiders activated Aidan O’Connell from injured reserve Thursday and placed fellow quarterback Gardner Minshew and cornerback Jakorian Bennett on IR.

The Raiders also signed wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. and activated running back Sincere McCormick and cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly.

O’Connell had been sidelined since injuring his thumb in Las Vegas’ 20-15 setback to the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 20. He will start for the Raiders (2-9) on Friday when they face Patrick Mahomes and the host Kansas City Chiefs (10-1).

The Raiders lost starter Minshew for the season to a broken collarbone in the team’s 29-19 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

O’Connell, 26, returned to practice on Monday and received first-team reps. He has completed 52 of 82 passes for 455 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in four games (two starts) this season.

He threw for 2,218 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 11 games (10 starts) as a rookie last season. He was selected by Las Vegas in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Bennett, 24, has 26 tackles in 10 games (seven starts) this season.

Marshall, 24, has played in one game with Las Vegas this season. He has 64 catches for 767 yards and one touchdown in 37 games (16 starts) with the Carolina Panthers.

McCormick, 24, has rushed five times for 33 yards in two games this season.

Kelly, 23, has five tackles in nine career games with four teams.

–Field Level Media

Sep 7, 2024; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) runs the ball during the second quarter against the Marshall Thundering Herd at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech uses defense, special teams to top Marshall

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On a day when Virginia Tech celebrated its past, the Hokies relied on an old-school formula, using defense and special teams to down Marshall 31-14 in Blacksburg, Va., on Saturday.

Jaylin Lane returned a punt for a touchdown and Virginia Tech (1-1) held Marshall to 278 yards of total offense and 12 first downs while paying tribute to its 1999 team that played in the BCS National Championship Game.

Bhayshul Tuten had 22 carries for 120 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Kyron Drones ran for a touchdown and threw for another as Virginia Tech avenged last season’s 24-17 loss to the Thundering Herd.

Drones completed 14 of 21 passes for 130 yards.

Marshall (1-1) sputtered on offense throughout the contest. Stone Earle completed 13 of 36 passes for 129 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

The lone offensive spark for the Thundering Herd came from A.J. Turner, whose 69-yard run in the third quarter set up an 18-yard touchdown pass from Earle to Christian Fitzpatrick.

In a first half in which there were 13 punts, both teams scored a touchdown thanks to special teams.

Lane gave Virginia Tech a 7-0 lead on the final play of the first quarter when he caught a short punt on the run in heavy traffic, burst into the clear and then split a second wave of defenders on his way to a 58-yard touchdown.

After the Hokies took a 10-0 lead on a 42-yard field goal by John Love, Ahmere Foster gave Marshall a much-needed lift with a blocked punt that gave the Thundering Herd possession at the Hokies 5, leading to a 2-yard touchdown run by Ethan Payne with 3:19 left in the second quarter.

After leading 10-7 at the break, Virginia Tech thrived thanks to a run-heavy game plan, and it scored on its first three possessions of the second half.

Of his 21 passes on the day, Drones threw only five in the second half but completed them all for 88 yards.

Tuten scored on a 1-yard run with 8:02 remaining in the third quarter, putting the Hokies up 17-7.

Drones then helped set up his own 3-yard scoring run in the third quarter with a 49-yard completion to Stephen Gosnell, who made a diving, over-the-shoulder catch.

Drones completed the scoring early in the fourth quarter with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Da’Quan Felton. Mansoor Delane set up the score with an interception.

–Field Level Media

Aug 31, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones (1) pitches the ball to running back Jamoni Jones (33) against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech hosts Marshall, looks to forget Week 1 loss

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Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” will pulsate again through a bouncing sellout crowd Saturday before Virginia Tech plays its home opener against Marshall.

The song has blared at Lane Stadium for the past 24 seasons.

But there is an undertone of discontent in Blacksburg, Va., as the Hokies (0-1) are coming off a 34-27 overtime loss at perennial Southeastern Conference doormat Vanderbilt.

It was a sour note on which to open a season of high expectations. With a roster loaded with returning players from a 7-6 team, the Hokies were nearly ranked in the preseason, finishing second among “others receiving votes” in The Associated Press Top 25 poll.

But the pratfall in Nashville brings Virginia Tech’s record under Brent Pry to 10-15. And now the third-year coach is feeling more heat as he faces a Marshall team (1-0) that handed him a 24-17 loss last September.

“We understand the expectations,” Pry said Tuesday. “We’re certainly disappointed. What we can do is invest and get better and learn from it and have a heck of a week and go be a better team this Saturday.”

This is a different Marshall team from the one that upset Virginia Tech last season. Quarterback Cam Fancher has transferred to Florida Atlantic, and running back Rasheen Ali, who torched the Hokies for 174 yards and two touchdowns last year, now plays for the Baltimore Ravens.

Marshall is coming off a 45-3 walkover at home last week against Stony Brook, an FCS team that was winless last year. The Thundering Herd used three quarterbacks, with each throwing at least one touchdown pass. The last time Marshall accomplished that feat was in 1932.

Stone Earle, a transfer from North Texas who started on Saturday, and Braylon Braxton, a transfer from Tulsa, threw two touchdown passes each, while Cole Pennington, the son of former Marshall star quarterback Chad Pennington, had another scoring toss.

On Tuesday, Marshall coach Charles Huff, who led the Thundering Herd to a 6-7 mark last season, was not letting on who would start against Virginia Tech.

“I don’t know because their numbers are almost identical,” Huff said.

Virginia Tech will look to start fast after falling behind 17-0 at Vanderbilt. Kyron Drones threw an early interception but rallied the Hokies, finishing with 22 completions in 33 attempts for 322 yards and two touchdowns.

“It’s been four years since a group-of-5 school has gone to Lane Stadium and won,” Huff said of Liberty’s 38-35 win in Blacksburg in 2020. “So this is a daunting task.”

–Field Level Media

Jan 30, 2024; Mobile, AL, USA; National running back Rasheen Ali of Marshall (22) runs the ball during practice for the National team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Marshall RB Rasheen Ali (biceps) pulls out of Senior Bowl

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Marshall running back Rasheen Ali has pulled out of the Senior Bowl after rupturing a biceps tendon in practice, NFL Network reported Thursday.

The two-time 1,000-yard rusher for the Thundering Herd faces a recovery time of four to six months following surgery, according to the report.

The timeline means Ali will miss the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine from Feb. 29-March 3 in Indianapolis.

He had been projected as a mid- to late-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft scheduled for April 25-27 in Detroit.

The Senior Bowl takes place Saturday in Mobile, Ala.

Ali rushed for 2,831 yards and 39 touchdowns and caught 75 passes for 557 yards and three scores over his four seasons at Marshall. He rushed for 1,401 yards and 23 TDs in 2021 and for 1,135 yards and 15 scores in 2023.

–Field Level Media

Nov 24, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; UTSA Roadrunners quarterback Frank Harris (0) throws a pass during the first half against the Tulane Green Wave at Yulman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports

A Frisco Bowl win would carry extra meaning for Marshall, UTSA

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Marshall had to survive a five-game losing streak in order to clinch bowl eligibility, but the Thundering Herd aren’t through the adversity just yet.

The program will turn to redshirt freshman quarterback Cole Pennington when Marshall takes on UTSA in the Frisco Bowl on Tuesday in Frisco, Texas.

Marshall (6-6) ended its skid by winning two of its last three games, including a 35-21 triumph over Arkansas State in the regular-season finale, to reach the important six-win plateau.

Starting quarterback Cam Fancher finished his season with 2,162 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and four rushing scores before entering the transfer portal. Marshall coach Charles Huff told a local TV station that Fancher’s decision didn’t surprise him since “there isn’t a lot of money for NIL (at Marshall) and the fans hate him. The kid has been miserable.”

Huff received blowback for the comments, including from Fancher’s mother.

“I was asked a question by a reporter and I inserted my opinion over facts about a situation, which ultimately created a little bit of a sandstorm,” Huff said. “It was truly based on my opinion of a small minority of fans, and I actually generalized the entire fan base. That was wrong. I take full responsibility for that.”

Fans may have been rankled by the coach’s faux pas, but now they will get to root for the son of a program legend. Pennington’s father is Chad Pennington, who parlayed a decorated career at Marshall into a long NFL career.

However, Cole Pennington had a 0-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio in three games filling in for Fancher this season.

“Bowl games are special in themselves,” Pennington said. “They’re just a great way to extend your time with the guys that you built a culture with and a chemistry with the whole season.”

Marshall’s weapons of note are running back Rasheen Ali (1,043 yards, 14 touchdowns) and Jayden Harrison, who has two kick return touchdowns and an FBS-high 31.9 yards per return.

UTSA (8-4) is heading to its fourth straight bowl game under coach Jeff Traylor, but the Roadrunners have yet to win one in the program’s brief FBS history.

The bowl appearance streak includes a trip to the 2021 Frisco Bowl, where No. 24 San Diego State beat UTSA 38-24.

“It’s important for us,” Traylor said. “There’s only a few things left in this program that we haven’t done, and this is one of those things we haven’t done, so for us it takes on a level of importance that’s probably more than most programs.”

UTSA made the move to the American Athletic Conference this season and found immediate success, winning seven straight conference games before a 29-16 loss to Tulane in the regular-season finale.

The Roadrunners offense relies on a pair of first-team All-AAC players, quarterback Frank Harris (2,506 passing yards, 323 rushing yards, 22 combined touchdowns, eight interceptions) and wide receiver Joshua Cephus (82 receptions, 1,049 yards, nine TDs).

“It’s my last (game), you know?” Cephus said. “I’ve been here all my time in college. I can’t miss an opportunity to go out and play with my teammates again. I’ll never have a chance to play college football again, so I’m trying to go out with a bang.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 7, 2023; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback MJ Morris (7) throws a pass during the first half against the Marshall Thundering Herd at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

QB MJ Morris settles down, leads NC State past Marshall

Posted on | by Field Level Media

MJ Morris overcame a shaky opening stretch in his first start of the season to throw four touchdown passes and help host North Carolina State to a 48-41 victory against previously undefeated Marshall on Saturday afternoon in Raleigh, N.C.

Two of the scoring throws went to Kevin Concepcion, and the Wolfpack took control by scoring 13 straight points to begin the fourth quarter.

NC State (4-2) turned to Morris in the first-string role after the offense wasn’t clicking with graduate transfer Brennan Armstrong. Morris was 17-for-32 for 265 yards with three interceptions, while Concepcion made eight catches for 102 yards.

Marshall quarterback Cam Fancher ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more. He ended up with 315 yards on 29-for-51 passing with an interception.

The Thundering Herd (4-1) went three possessions in a row without scoring in the second half. But after breaking that drought on Fancher’s 16-yard TD pass to Caleb Coombs, Marshall got a final possession with 51 seconds to play at its own 3-yard line and didn’t pick up a first down.

Marshall took its final lead in the third quarter when Morris connected with Trent Pennix on a 62-yard scoring pass for 35-31 with 6:43 left.

Michael Allen ran 37 yards for the Wolfpack to begin the second-half scoring for a 28-24 advantage. That came following Marshall’s failed fourth-down play from the NC State 31.

Marshall was back ahead 31-28 on Fancher’s 28-yard pass play to Jayden Harrison with 7:31 left in the third quarter.

NC State’s Brayden Narveson kicked fourth-quarter field goals from 40 and 27 yards.

Morris threw interceptions on two of his first five passes, one of those returned 27 yards by Josh Moten for a touchdown. Morris was 1-for-6 at one point before getting into a better groove.

Fancher’s second touchdown run came from 4 yards out to put the Thundering Herd ahead 24-21 with 31 seconds to play in the first half.

Marshall scored first on Fancher’s 7-yard run to cap its second possession. That came after Morris’ first interception.

The Wolfpack countered when Morris threw a 17-yard scoring pass to Concepcion. The Thundering Herd was back in front on Moten’s interception return.

Delbert Mimms III scored on an 18-yard run for NC State to tie the game at 14 with 11:43 left in the second quarter.

–Field Level Media

Sep 29, 2023; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack safety Sean Brown (0) celebrates a sack during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Louisville Cardinals won 13-10.

NC State hopes QB change ignites offense against Marshall

Posted on | by Field Level Media

North Carolina State decided it couldn’t wait any longer to make a change on offense.

After losing two of their first three home games of the season, the Wolfpack will turn to sophomore MJ Morris as their starting quarterback when they face Marshall on Saturday in Raleigh, N.C.

Morris takes over for Brennan Armstrong, who transferred to NC State (3-2) after five seasons at Virginia.

Armstrong has completed 58.8 percent of his passes for 971 yards with five touchdowns and six interceptions, and in the wake of his team’s 13-10 loss to then-unranked Louisville last week, coach Dave Doeren decided it was time to make a change.

“It’s clear that we need a spark on that side of the ball,” Doeren said. “(Morris) is ready to lead the offense. … It was my plan and our plan to redshirt MJ and allow him an opportunity to develop behind Brennan. But plans sometimes need to change. The time is now because it’s what’s best for our team.”

There’s no need for change for Marshall (4-0), which owns a nine-game winning streak dating back to last season following a 41-35 victory over Old Dominion last weekend.

“Really proud of them embracing the process of finding a way to execute well to win,” Thundering Herd coach Charles Huff said. “Are there things we have to get cleaned up? Absolutely.”

Meanwhile, the Wolfpack are scuffling. NC State had won 16 of its previous 17 home games prior to the two setbacks this season. The loss against the Cardinals was particularly ugly, as the Wolfpack were shut out in the second half.

“We just have to stay together and keep going,” Wolfpack receiver Terrell Timmons Jr. said. “We can’t let this loss get between us. We have to stay together as a team and keep going.”

Morris will look to spearhead a turnaround, and even with the change under center, Huff believes his team will still be prepared against NC State since it has been able to adjust on the fly this season.

“Didn’t bat an eye, didn’t get frustrated,” Huff said of his team’s resilience. “Made adjustments and made plays when they counted.”

The Thundering Herd have already defeated an Atlantic Coast Conference team this season, beating Virginia Tech 24-17 on Sept. 23.

Saturday marks the sixth all-time meeting between Marshall and NC State. The Wolfpack have won all five games in the series, most recently prevailing 37-20 in 2018 at Huntington, W.Va.

–Field Level Media

Sep 16, 2023; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Kyron Drones (1) rolls out during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Virginia Tech out for answers vs. undefeated Marshall

Posted on | by Field Level Media

After playing each other four times between 2002 and 2011, Virginia Tech and Marshall have been growing distant.

The Hokies and Thundering Herd met in 2013, not again until 2018 and finally will clash Saturday, when Virginia Tech will visit Marshall in Huntington, W.Va. Call it the new five-year plan.

The latest installment will feature teams headed in opposite directions.

Virginia Tech (1-2) comes in reeling, having dropped consecutive games to Big Ten opponents Purdue and Rutgers.

Not much went right for Virginia Tech in a 35-16 loss at Rutgers last week, but the Hokies might have seen potential for the long term.

Sophomore quarterback Kyron Drones made his first career start in place of injured senior Grant Wells and provided a two-way threat, completing 19 of 32 passes for 190 yards and running for 74 yards on 22 carries in the loss.

Drones, a Baylor transfer, is expected to start again Saturday.

“I think there are some really good things,” Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry said. “(Drones) made it hard to defend him. He had some nice balls and did a really nice job running the ball. He did miss a few reads that I think left some plays on the field. His decision making was pretty good. First college start, I think there will be a lot to build from.”

Marshall (2-0) enters with momentum after winning its first two games of the season against Albany at home and on the road at East Carolina.

The Thundering Herd were off last week following a 31-13 win at East Carolina on Sept. 9. in their two games, quarterback Cam Fancher and running back Rasheen Ali have delivered as expected.

Fancher is 43-of-63 passing in two games for 446 yards, while Ali has rushed for 222 yards on 36 carries and five touchdowns.

“Now that we have got two games on guys, we can start to see some consistency in production, and we can start to see some inconsistency in production,” Marshall head coach Charles Huff said. “We got to be able to make adjustments. We got to be able to coach up the inconsistencies and retain the consistencies.”

–Field Level Media